Articles by Paula Pintos

Architecture challenged by the present. The project does not begin with a typical building programme or a set of technical specifications, but with a vision of communal living and our aspiration to create forward-looking and environmentally sustainable architecture. It also begins with an opportunity – a small-scale urban development that makes participatory urban development possible. And it begins as part of a political cooperative movement that understands housing as a basic need and not as an object of speculation.

This family residence was built of eight assembled, 20′ and 40′ re-used, high cube shipping containers. The house is built on a steep lot next to a lake, outside of Stockholm. There was a ban on dynamite for the site and there was no room for a slab, just a steep canyon where a lot of rainwater flows toward the lake. That is why the house stands on pillars and land light on the terrain. The structural walls of the containers allowed the upper level to be larger than the entrance level footprint. This way the building adjusts to the V-shaped natural canyon of the site. The clients, a truck driver and a therapist with three kids, have built the house mostly by themselves with bug help from their father and father in law who is a skilled welder and used to run a mechanic workshop. The interior is a composition of rare finds and re-used building components.

1255 is a reimagining of a family home in the Greater Toronto Area. Situated atop a small hill on a property north of Lake Ontario, the project overlooks an abundance of natural features: a narrow creek winds through the yard; a pond sits at the base of a maple grove; a heavily treed woodlot is active with wildlife. The clients, who had lived in an existing home on the property for some time, understood they wanted to experience a greater connection to the natural features around them. Working with the existing topography of the site, the project sets out to create strong connections to the surrounding environment to make the most of a unique property.

The densification project of the Domaine de la Roseraie aims to increase the tourist accommodation capacity on the site and to develop its facilities. The project is structured in four stages: the restoration of the manor house and the existing XIXth century greenhouse, the creation of ten guest houses, and the addition of a thermal bath.

KAAN Architecten is proud to present the Geo- and Environmental Centre (GUZ), their first project built in Germany. As the winning entry of an international competition, the building is a state-of-the-art facility for interdisciplinary research into solutions for environmental problems, particularly water, soil, and the atmosphere. With its prominent location, the building complements the campus’ urban layout and underlines the Centre’s scientific importance.